Means for fastening the doors of safes



3 Sheets Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. L. HALL.

MEANS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS OF SAFES, 650.

Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

% LNI/ENTOR ATTORNEYS.

W! T NESSES:

3 Sheets-Sheet; 2.

(No Model.)

J. L. HALL.

MEANS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS 0P SAPES, 650. No. 398,609. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

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WITNESSES: INVENI OR A TTORNE YIS.

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3 SheetsSheet 3 (No Model.)

J. L. HALL.

MEANS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS 0F SAFES, &c.

No. 398,609. Patented Feb. 26, 1889 mfmessesx "Wlllllllll N PETERS Pbowmho m nu. Washinglnn, D c.

rarns Nirn JOSEPH L. HALL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MEANS FOR FASTENING THE DOORS OF SAFES, 80C.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 398,609, dated February 26, 1889.

Application filed June 5, 1888.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. HALL, of Gin cinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Fastening the Doors of Safes, Vaults, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to means for securely fastening the doors of safes, vaults, jails, and similar inclosures; and the invention consists in a series of bolts arranged to lock and unlock one or more movable bars or bolts, which are made to interlock with the door when closed, and in combining therewith mechanism by which the series of lockingbolts shall be made to operate simultaneously in the looking or unlocking, and also i in combining with said bolts and mechanism a time-lock and means for automatically unlocking the parts at a predetermined time, as hereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is an inside view of the door and surrounding frame of a safe, vault, or similar receptacle. Figs. 2, 3, i, and 5 are views of portions shown more in detail, Figs. l and 5 being end or section views taken on the line 1/ y of Fig. 1. Figs. 6 and 7 represent the time-lock with the lovers for connecting it With the operating mechanism enlarged, the former showing them locked and the latter unlocked.

My present invention is designed to be used in connection with safes, vaults, 830., which have set in the stationary janibs which surround the door a movable bar in the form f of a bolt or cylinder having a groove along one side, in which a projecting flange on the edges of the door engages automatically as the door is closed, and which, being fully de- I scribed. in a separate application filed simultaneously herewith, and to which reference is made, need not be described herein, except so far as may be necessary to illustrate the present invention. bars or bolts 0 are shown in position as they will be when the safe or vault is built, Fig. 5 showing the flanges Z) of the door B beginning to engage with them as the door is being closed, while Fig. a shows them with the door completely closed, and showing how they hold the door by engaging with the projecting flanges 19 thereof.

In Figs. I and 5 these movable Serial No. 276,137. (No model.)

[ My present invention consists of means for V locking and unlocking these movable bars or F bolts C, and thereby the door of the safe or vault. To accomplish this, I make use of a series of locking-bolts, L, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The locking-bolts L, which may be round, square, or oblong in eross'section, are set in holes in the inner walls of the frame A, directly opposite the movable bars or bolts C, there being a hole or recess, P, in the bolt 0, for the bolts L to engage in, and thus prevent the bolts C from being turned until said locking-bolts L are withdrawn. Each of the bolts L is provided with a stem having a knob or enlargement on its outer end, and each is provided with a spring. 2, preferably incased in the hole surrounding the stem, arranged to press the bolt inward and cause it to automatically enter the hole P whenever the movable bar or bolt C is turned to the position shown in Fig. 4 by the closing of the door. In Fig. :2 the bolts 0 and L are shown in the locked position, and in Fig. 3 in the unlocked position.

In Fig. 1 I have shown but one locking-bolt L as being applied to each of the movable bars or bolts 0; but it is obvious that more may be applied, if desired. As these locking bolts are within the safe or vault, it is necessary to provide means for withdrawing them when it is desired to unlock the door, and for this purpose I pivot near each bolt L an elbowlever, I, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. One 1 arm, n, of each of these levers is slotted and arranged to engage the stem of the lockingbolt L, so that by tipping the lever I the bolt L will be withdrawn, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, the other arm, 0, of the lever projecting out at a right angle from the face of the wall, as shown.

In order to withdraw the lockingbolts L simultaneously all around, I connect the arms 0 of each by means of a series ofsliding rods, R, as represented in Fig. 1, these rods R being connected at their ends by bell-crank levers 7c, mounted on a stud or pivot, h, each rod R having secured to it a clip or plate, to, provided with a hole, in which the arms 0 of the elbow-levers I engage. By this arrangenally, and acting on the arms 0 of the elbow levers 'I will tip them, thereby simultaneously withdrawing all the locking-bolts L, and thus unlock the movable bars or bolts C, when, of course, the door is free to be opened.

In order to move the rods R, and thereby the bolts L, I attach to one of the short vertical rods R a weight, \V, sufficient when 'released to move all the rods and elbow-levers I and compress the springs 25 and withdraw the bolts L, this weight being preferably held by guides at its sides, as shown in Fig. 1.

The system of rods R, I connect with a suitable time-lock, T, in any convenient manner, so that the time-lock will release the weight at such time as the lock may be set for, when, of course, the weight will cause the rods R. to move, and thereby withdraw thelocking-bolts L, as above described.

As there are many styles or forms of timelocks, it is obvious that the connection of the time-lock with the operating-rods R may be made in a variety of ways, depending on the style of lock used. I prefer to use one of the various forms of locks heretofore patented to me, and in which there a depending latch or lover, 1, arranged to engage with the long arm of a h ook-shaped lever, m, and which at its short end on gages with the long arm of a similar lever, '21, the short hook-shaped arm of which engages with a stud or projection, 13, secured to the short vertical rod R, as shown in Fig. 1 and more clearly in Figs. 6 and 7. The only object of this arrangement of levers between the time-lock and the rods R is to support the weight \V without creating such a strain or friction as to prevent the timer from" tripping ormo'ving the latch I at the proper time. Any other connecting devices which will accomplish the same result may be used instead, and when a different style of time-lock is used the connection may be varied to suit, the only requirement being that they shall be such as will hold the weight sus pended until the proper time for opening the door arrives, and then be released by the timelock. \Vith the parts thus arranged, it is only necessary to set the time-lock, and, before the door is closed, raise the weight and connect its rod R with the time-lock, as described, and then shut the door, which will turn the movable bars or bolts 0 to the position shown in Fig. 4, which will bring the holes P in said bolts opposite the ends of the locking-bolts L, which will be forced into the .holes by the springs t, and thus the door will be securely locked, and will be so held until, at the predetermined time for which the timelock may have been set, it will release the weight, which, operating to withdraw the locking-bolts L, as previously described, will automatically unlock the door.

\Vhen a time-lock is thus used in connection with the locking-bolts and their operating mechanism, all of which are within the safe or vault, it will be seen that there is no hole or opening of any kind in the door or the jambs or walls for the admission of explosives, or by which the elvterior in any way weakened.

Vhile I have shown the locking-bolts as being connected and operated by a series of rods and elbow-levers, it is obvious that other mechanical devices may be substituted for them and be made to produce the same result, and hence my invention is not limited to the use of these special devices. So, too, it is obvious that a spring may be substituted for thev weight It is obvious that the time-lock and its connecting-levers may be located at the opposite side or at top or bottom, it only being necessary that theylshall be so connected with the rods R as to hold the weight suspended until released by the timeslock at the time set.

\Vhile I prefer to use a time-lock in connec tion with these movable bars or bolts 0, it is obvious that they may be locked by a series of sliding bolts operated by a handle in the usual manner, these in turn being secured by a permutation lock; but that would necessitat-e making holes in the door for the handle and for the spindle of the dial, and hence' would not be so secure, and yet in some of the smaller or cheaper forms of safes or vaults it may be desirable.

It is impossible without undue prolixity to describe all the various modifications necessary to connect the locking-bolts and their operating mechanism with all the forms or styles of time-locks known; but the foregoing de scription will enable a mechanic skilled in the art to do so without difficulty.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim is- 1. The combination, in a safe, vault, or other inclosure having a door and jambs, of the movable bars or bolts 0, located in one of said parts, and a projection, I), on the other of said parts, a series of locking-bolts, L, and mechanism, substantially such as described, for connecting and operating said locking-bolts, whereby they can be simultaneously withdrawn to unlock the movable bars or bolts.

2. The combination, with a door and its jambs, of the movable bars or bolts C set therein, a series of locking-bolts, L, connected by mechanism for simultaneously withdrawing the locking-bolts, and a weight, 7, ar ranged to operate the same when released, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the movable bars or bolts 0, set in the jambs or door, a series of locking-bolts, L, with their connecting and operating mechanism, and a time-lock, T, adapted to be connected to the locking-bolt mechanism and to be disconnected therefrom by the act-ion of the time-movement, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

at. In combination with one or more movable bars or bolts, (1, arranged and operating as described, a corresponding number of locking-bolts, L, connected to a sliding bar, B, having a weight, W, attached thereto, a timelock, T, and the intermediate pivoted levers on and i, all arranged for joint operation subtime set, substantially as and for the purpose :0 stantially as shown and described set forth.

5. In combination with the movable bars or In witness whereof I hereunto set-my hand bolts C, the bolts L, provided with springs to in the presence of two witnesses. cause them to automatically engage with the JOSEPH L HALL movable bars or bolts 0, aweight arranged to Withdraw said locking-bolts When released, and a time-lock arranged to hold said Weight and automatically release the same at the Witnesses:

R. T. PULLEN, GEO. D. SPIELMANN. 

